


Vėlìnės

by FannibalLecter



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-29
Updated: 2016-10-29
Packaged: 2018-08-27 19:50:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8414347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FannibalLecter/pseuds/FannibalLecter
Summary: Hannibal conducts a summoning ritual.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place toward the end of season 2, after episode 11 but before the finale.
> 
> Translation of the Lithuanian is directly underneath the Lithuanian, in bold.

Will stirs in his sleep, before waking up. At first, as he looks around the room, he is momentarily confused. This isn't his room; what he can see in the darkness is not familiar to him. Slowly though, memory returns, and he realizes he is in a guest bedroom in Hannibal's house. The older man had invited him over for dinner the night before and Will had a bit too much to drink and Hannibal suggested it would be better if Will just stayed the night in the spare room. 

Will lies back down in the soft king size bed, trying to fall back to sleep, but then he hears a noise as if someone is talking. Will looks over at the clock on the nightstand, and it reads 03:04. Surely, Hannibal would be asleep at this hour, and even if he was awake, who would he be talking to? Will tries to just ignore his curiosity and go to back sleep, but he hears the voice again. Finally, Will decides to find out what it is he is hearing. Wearing only t-shirt and shorts, he gets out of bed and quietly leaves the room, pausing in the hallway for a few seconds, allowing his vision to adjust to the darkness. He tiptoes down the hall toward a room where the voice seems to be coming from. The plush carpeting beneath Will's feet is soft, and the floor doesn't creak, for which he is thankful. He arrives at the door to the room; it is just slightly ajar, and Will can see through the crack that there are many candles flickering in the room. The voice comes again, this time much louder now that Will is right outside the door. It is Hannibal's voice, thick, and not in a language familiar to Will. The rhythm of the speech, however, sounds like a cadence, as if the Lithuanian is reciting some sort of incantation. Will cannot make out any of the words the older man is saying. 

Suddenly, Hannibal appears in Will's line of vision, but his back is toward Will, and he is wearing a long dark robe, with a hood. There is a small gold rope around the waist. Will is perplexed; what is Hannibal doing? He watches for a few more minutes as Hannibal continues his recitation, and making some gestures with his hands in the air. Finally, Hannibal finishes, and he begins to extinguish the candles. Will decides he should return to his room before Hannibal catches him snooping around. 

As Will lies in bed, he finds it difficult to fall back to sleep. His mind keeps trying to make sense of what he saw. He decides he will have to ask Hannibal in the morning about it. 

_______________________________________________________

Sunlight streaming through a narrow gap in the heavy curtain wakes Will from his slumber. He doesn't recall falling back to sleep, but he must have. He stretches and then looks at the clock: 9am. He climbs out of bed and walks into the adjacent bathroom. He notices that Hannibal has brand new soap, toothbrush, shampoo, clean towel, etc. sitting out for him, so he can wash up. 

After showering and getting dressed, Will walks downstairs. He can hear Hannibal in the kitchen and he can smell the food being made. As he walks into the kitchen, Hannibal looks up, smiling, "Good morning, Will. You're just in time for breakfast." 

Will stifles a yawn, before replying, "Morning, Dr. Lecter." 

Hannibal picks up two plates of food, and walks toward the dining room, as Will follows him. He places the plates on the table, and then pours a cup of coffee for Will and then himself. Will takes a seat in his normal chair, his stomach rumbling as he eyes the eggs and sausages that Hannibal has cooked. As Will takes his seat, Hannibal asks, "How did you sleep?"

Will picks up his fork, and takes a bite of egg before replying, "I slept okay; I just had a really weird, vivid dream." He takes a second bite of the eggs," This is really delicious; thank you, Dr. Lecter." 

Hannibal finishes his bite of food, then "My pleasure, Will." He takes a sip of his coffee before inquiring, "What was the dream about?"

Will thinks for a second about the night before. Surely what he remembers was a dream. But, what if he did actually see what he thinks he saw, then Hannibal would know he had been spying on him. "I just dreamed that I had been awoken by some strange noise. And, then the more I listened, it sounded like your voice, but you weren't speaking English...it was some language I had never heard before. It was so unusual." 

Hannibal takes another sip of his coffee, before responding, “Well, that is interesting,” he pauses, mulling over his words before continuing, “Will, would you be so kind as to join me for dinner again tonight? I have some important matters to discuss. It may help you better understand your…dream, from last night.”

Will thinks for a moment, unsure what to expect, but nods before saying, “Well, sure, I suppose. What time should I be here?” 

“Say around 8pm.” 

“Okay, I’ll be here at eight, then.” The two men finish their breakfast in relative silence, each one deep in their own thoughts. Hannibal believes he can trust Will with the information he will share tonight, but there is still some level of uncertainty. Will, likewise, is unsure what to expect; he is curious but also concerned that perhaps Hannibal knows he had been spied on the night before, and he feels it would be wise to exercise some caution.  
_______________________________________________________

Will looks at his watch as he walks up the steps to Hannibal’s home; 8pm on the dot. He knocks on the door and waits for Hannibal to answer. The gentleman welcomes Will warmly, as usual, with a smile on his face, “Please, Will, come on in. I have just finished cooking.” Hannibal takes Will’s coat and hangs it up in the foyer closet, then leading the younger man through the sitting room, into the dining room, where empty plates are already on the table. Will takes a seat as Hannibal begins serving the food, followed by pouring a glass of wine for Will and himself. 

“For this evening’s meal, I have prepared cepelinai with mushrooms. Cepelinai is a traditional Lithuanian meal made of grated potatoes stuffed with meat, in this case beef. And a little Brunello di Montalcino to drink,” Hannibal states, as he takes his seat at the table. 

“As always, Dr. Lecter, the food looks and smells amazing. Thank you for inviting me over.” 

“My pleasure, Will,” Hannibal smiles. 

As they eat their meal, the two men talk about their day. Will tells Hannibal about the most recent case that he is helping Jack on, as well as his frustration at trying to teach while also being needed in the field so often. Hannibal listens intently, as always, offering insight here and there. Once dinner is finished, and the dishes are cleared from the table, Hannibal pours another glass of wine for Will and himself, and they move to the sitting room. The two men sit in burgundy wingback chairs, with a glass end table between them, facing the fireplace, that Hannibal has going. They are silent for a little while, enjoying the glow and the warmth of the flames as they crackle. 

Finally, Hannibal speaks…

“Will, do you recall I once told you about my sister, Mischa?”

“Of course. You said she was dead, but did not share much more than that.”

“Correct. She died when we were children; she was only five years old.”

Will looks at Hannibal, and sees that his eyes are glistening in the firelight; Will can tell that he is trying to hold back tears. Will’s empathy leaves him open to Hannibal’s emotion, and Will finds himself trying to fight back his own tears. “I’m sorry,” Will whispers. 

Hannibal clenches his jaw for a moment, then relaxes it before replying, “Thank you, Will.” He takes a sip of his wine, then continues, “A few years ago, I was working on some genealogy research for my family tree. My family, as you may know, comes from Lithuania. During my research, I had discovered some interesting facts about my family history that I had not been privy to before,” pausing for a sip of wine, “I found out that my great, great, great grandfather had been a High Priest. This made me curious about the religious origins of my family, so I conducted further research.”

Will listens intently as he drinks his own wine, curious to learn more about this man who he considers a friend but also who he knows to be cautious of.  
“Romuva, which is the name of the religion that is currently practiced by many pagans in Lithuania, has its roots in ancient pagan practices in the region. As with any other religion, over time it has evolved.” Hannibal pauses here, and after a few minutes, Will finally speaks up. “So, your great, great, great grandfather probably practiced some earlier form of Romuva.” Hannibal nods, before sitting his empty glass on the end table, standing up he says, “Will, I would like you to come with me; I have something I would like to show you.” 

Will, still unsure what to expect, sits his glass down, and follows Hannibal up the stairs. They walk down the hallway, toward the room where Will had heard Hannibal reciting the night before. Hannibal opens the door, and allows Will to enter the room first. Across the room, along the wall opposite the door is an altar that looks to be made of stone, about waist high, covered by a red and black cloth. Sitting on the altar is a number of unlit candles and a grainy, black and white photo of a little girl, smiling; presumably it is a picture of Mischa. There are other items on the altar as well, such as small, shiny rock, a small, brass bell, a pink seashell, a black and gray bird feather, and a few other things. He also notices a small plate with some bread, and a chalice on the altar. Additionally, there is some incense burning in the room; it smells kind of musky and reminds Will of the woods. As Will enters the room further, he sees that it is bigger than he had imagined it would be, at least 13 ft by 17 ft (5.18m by 3.9m). The king size bed has been moved up against the far wall, in the corner. A small mahogany desk, with a chair, is pushed into the corner at the opposite end of the bed. The only light source in the room comes from a small reading lamp on the desk. Will turns to look at Hannibal, a questioning look on his face.

“The more I looked into my family’s history and into the pagan beliefs of my ancestors, the more I felt that I should embrace this aspect of my history. Part of the practice of Romuva includes ancestor veneration. What you see before you is an altar that I have created for Mischa. Do I believe that she can affect change in this world, on my behalf? No. But, I do believe in paying my respect to the memory of my sister.” Hannibal looks at Will, “What you heard last night was not a dream; it was me reciting an old incantation as part of a ritual for Mischa.” 

Will was in shock and did not know what to say. He would have never expected Hannibal to be the type of person to partake in any such rituals; he was more the type to mock God rather than to turn toward religion for any sort of solace. But, yet here he was, and Will could hear sincerity in Hannibal’s words, and from the way Hannibal had explained it, it made sense. Finally, Will nodded, “That…that is understandable.” 

“I am telling you all of this because All Soul’s Day, or as it is called in Romuva, Vėlìnės, is in a few days. I would like you to be here that evening; I may need your assistance, if you would be so willing.” 

Will hesitates for a second, then replies, “Um, sure, but I don’t see how I could be of any help, Dr. Lecter. I don’t know anything about the beliefs, aside from what you have just told me tonight.” 

Hannibal thinks for a second, considering his words before speaking. “Vėlìnės is similar to Samhain, and some believe that on that evening, the veil between this world and the next is thin, and the ancestors can reach out to us and we can make contact with them. I know that to the average person, it may sound ridiculous, but is it really any more ridiculous than the Christian belief of Jesus being crucified, dead and buried, only to rise from the dead three days later? My point is that every religion has some aspect of the unreal. Perhaps the belief of the ancestors being able to contact us is unreal and does not actually occur, but I am willing to give it a try, in order to have contact with my sister one more time. Your part, Will, is to bear witness and to be a friend. But, I must warn you that if you agree, you must do your best to banish any doubt from your mind. Rely on your empathy, if you must.”

Will feels awkward and a bit uncomfortable with the request however he can see how important this is to Hannibal. Finally he nods, “Okay.” 

Hannibal looks at Will for a moment, gives a barely perceptible nod, then turns to leave the room, Will trailing behind him. They return to the sitting room, where they share another drink, discussing many things about the current case and about life. They do not talk further of the ritual or of Mischa. Eventually Will leaves and goes home.  
_______________________________________________________

October 31st.

Will arrives at Hannibal’s on the night the ritual is to take place. For dinner, Hannibal has made for them šašlykai, a form of shish kebab with pork and vegetables, common in Lithuania, however with a small deviation. There are pieces of acorn squash on the skewers, with the pork. For dessert, Hannibal has made spurgos, a type of Lithuanian doughnut. After they finish eating, Hannibal finally leads Will upstairs to the room where the ritual will take place. 

As they enter the room, Will notices that the altar has been moved more toward the center of the room. Additionally, he sees that the plate of bread has been replaced with a new plate containing a small cake, and that the candles have been lit. 

“You may have a seat in that chair,” Hannibal says, as he points to the chair in front of the mahogany desk. “If you will excuse me, Will, I must prepare myself for the ritual.” He then turns and leaves the room.

Will takes a seat in the offered chair and waits for Hannibal to return, letting his mind wander, wondering what he is doing here, with this man. He knows that Hannibal is a killer; he’s supposed to be trying to catch him, yet he finds himself drawn to Hannibal. He genuinely cares about the older man, and considers him a friend. As his mine tries to work out the conundrum he finds himself in, Hannibal finally returns, dressed in the same dark robe, with gold belt, that Will had seen a few nights prior. Will does not say anything; he simply tries to clear his mind, and allow himself to feel what Hannibal is feeling.  
Will watches as Lecter walks over to the altar, and picks up some sage and lights it; he then takes the burning sage and walks around the room, from corner to corner, allowing the billowing smoke to fill the room with a sweet scent. He then walks over to Will, motioning for the younger man to stand up. Without saying a word, Will obeys, and just watches as Hannibal moves the sage back and forth, in front of Will’s body, and around his arms and legs, the smoke of the sage enveloping Will. After Hannibal is done, he motions for Will to return to his seat, and Will complies.  
He can feel Hannibal’s emotions as if they were his own; he knows the older man is focused, but underneath his concentration is a hint of anticipation and hope.

Hannibal returns to the altar, where he places the sage on a small plate, allowing it to finish burning. He then dabs his finger into a tiny bowl; as he lifts his finger from the bowl, Will can see Hannibal’s finger glisten, in the candle light, from the oil which Hannibal then anoints himself with. 

Hannibal slowly begins to raise his arms as he mutters something in Lithuanian. After a minute, he picks up a small broom that is lying at the foot of the altar. Hannibal begins to sweep the floor, in a large circle, about 7ft (2.1m) in diameter, around the altar. Once this is complete, he places the broom back where it had been, and begins speaking again in Lithuanian. 

_Mano mylima sese Mischa, aš kviečiu tave šiandien prisijungti prie manęs čia, šitoje šventoje vietoje. Dabar, kai šydas tarp pasaulių yra ploniausias, aš prašau suteikti malonę savo pasirodymu, kad pagerbčiau tave ir pasikalbėčiau su tavimi. Tu, kuri esi kūnas iš mano kūno ir kraujas iš mano kraujo, tu, kuri esi laikoma kartu su mano siela kaip amžina dalis manęs, būk dabar kartu su manimi ir priimk mano aukojamas dovanas. Su tobula meile ir tobulu pasitikėjimu, aš sutinku tave. Kaip bus, tegul ir taip būna. Kaip bus, tegul ir taip būna. Kaip bus, tegul ir taip būna. Palaimingai būna._  
**(My beloved sister, Mischa, I invite you here tonight to join me in this sacred space. Now when the veil between the worlds is thinnest, I ask you to grace me with your presence so I may honor and speak with you. You who are flesh of my flesh and blood of my blood, you who are held within my soul as a part of me forever, be here with me now, and accept the gifts of my offerings. In perfect love and perfect trust I welcome you. As I will it, so may it be. As I will it, so may it be. As I will it, so may it be. Blessed be.)**

Suddenly, the candles flicker and get really bright, the flames shooting up higher than they should, and the temperature in the room drops. _“Annibal….Annibal…”_ a small, child-like voice says. Will startles, and looks around the room to see where the voice is coming from, but he doesn’t see anything. The hair on the back of his neck is on end, as he hears the voice once more, as if coming from a distance, _“Annibal.”_

Hannibal responds to the voice, speaking again in Lithuanian, _“Mischa, mylima Mischa... Aš atsiprašau, kad negalėjau tavęs apsaugoti. Mano gyvenimas ne toks pat, kaip be tavęs, mažoji sesute.”_  
**(Mischa, my beloved Mischa…I am sorry that I could not protect you. My life is not the same without you, little sister.)**

Will can hear Hannibal’s voice crack as he speaks; he can feel Hannibal’s regret and sorrow weigh heavy on him, and he too begins to shed a tear. 

_“Annibal,”_ the voice says once more, _“Viskas gerai, broli, aš tau atleidžiu. Myliu tave.”_  
**(All is well, brother, I forgive you. I love you.)**

The candle flames recede, going back to normal, and the temperature in the room begins to stabilize once more. Hannibal drops his head, reciting a few more words in his native tongue. 

_Mischa, dėkoju tau, už buvimą čia su manimi. Tu, kuri gyvenai vakar, išskrisk pabūti kartu su dvasiomis kitame pasaulyje. Jei bent kiek tavosios energijos pasiliks kartu su manimi, aš atiduodu ją tau su amžina savo meile. Keliauk ramybėje, gerai laikykis savo kelionėje. Tobula meile ir tobulu pasitikėjimu, tariu tau sudie. Kaip bus, tegul ir taip būna. Kaip bus, tegul ir taip būna. Kaip bus, tegul ir taip būna. Palaimingai būna._  
**(Mischa, I thank you for being here with me. You who lived yesterday, fly away to be with the spirits in the next life. If any of your energy remains with me, I return it to you with my eternal love. Go in peace, carry on your journey. In perfect love and perfect trust I bid you farewell. As I will it, so may it be. As I will it, so may it be. As I will it, so may it be. Blessed be.)**

After a few minutes, he extinguishes the candles, steps out of the circle, and stands there for a moment…not speaking, just looking at the floor. Finally, he climbs onto the bed, in the corner of the room, and curls up. Will stands up and walks over to the side of the bed, to where Hannibal is lying. 

“Hannibal,” Will softly says, but receives no response. Will tries again, a little louder this time, “Hannibal.” Still, no answer. Will, unsure what to do, stands there for a moment before deciding to climb on to the bed behind Hannibal, so he is spooning the taller man. He wraps his arm around Hannibal and does his best to comfort him. He cannot see Hannibal’s face, but he knows…he just knows…that Hannibal is crying, however silently. They fall asleep, in this position, with Hannibal trying to hold on to this moment in time, of Mischa’s words, as Will holds on to him.

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to Cosmolights for the Lithuanian traslations. 
> 
> Special thanks to my bestie, You_Are_As_Alone_As_I_Am, for helping with the ritual details, including the invocation and devocation. 
> 
> And special thanks to my friend Malle, for double checking some things for me.


End file.
